SANDY, Utah (Saturday, August 14, 2021) – Real Salt Lake (6-6-6, 24 points) claimed a 1-0 win over Austin FC in the inaugural match between the two teams in front of 17,506 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.
Bobby Wood scored his second goal of the 2021 season in the 32nd minute while Zac MacMath earned the clean sheet in goal for RSL.
Austin FC began the game on the front foot and nearly scored the game’s opening goal in the 28th minute when Diego Fagundez’s shot came off the far post and away from danger. RSL did break the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Jonathan Menendez’s cross found the head of Wood inside the penalty area to put the hosts in front. RSL put four shots on goal in the first half while limiting Austin to none and held onto the 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
To begin the second half, Justin Meram was brought down on the edge of the penalty area in the 49th minute, a challenge that video review judged to be a red card to Julio Cascante, giving RSL the man advantage for the remainder of the match. RSL pressed heavily to double its advantage in the match but each shot on frame was turned away by goalkeeper Brad Stuver who finished with seven saves on the night. RSL was able to see out the match with staunch defending to keep the clean sheet as the match finished 1-0.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake welcomes Houston Dynamo FC to Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday, August 18 at 8:00 p.m. MT.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Bobby Wood (Jonathan Menendez) 32nd minute - Counter attacking down the right side of the field, Menendez found space to cross just outside the box. His cross was driven in perfectly to Wood who nodded the headed effort into the far side netting.
NOTES:
- Saturday was Real Salt Lake’s first match against Austin FC. RSL is 9-3-3 all-time in its first home match against expansion teams (including a 0-0 draw with Nashville this year in the first match against the 2020 expansion club).
- Real Salt Lake is tied for sixth in MLS with 27 goals scored and tied for sixth with 20 goals conceded. RSL’s +7 goal differential ranks seventh in MLS.
- Defender Justen Glad was unavailable while serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
- Goalkeeper David Ochoa was unavailable due to quad tightness.
- Forward Jeizon Ramirez (quad) and defenders Andrew Brody (toe) and Zack Farnsworth (ankle) were unavailable due to injury.
- Real Salt Lake had one RSL Academy products in the XI and two more available on the bench. Additionally, four players on the 20-man roster were previously signed to the Monarchs.
- Real Salt Lake celebrated Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Night with a portion of ticket sales donated to Manuia Group, which helps provide access to higher education for students from the Pacific Islands.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs. Austin FC
Date: August 14, 2021
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Weather: Sunny and 88 degrees
Attendance: 17,506
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 0 1
Austin FC 0 0 0
RSL: Bobby Wood (Jonathan Menendez) 32’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Zac MacMath; Aaron Herrera, Marcelo Silva, Toni Datkovic, Ashtone Morgan (Donny Toia 90’+3); Everton Luiz (Pablo Ruiz 62’), Damir Kreilach; Jonathan Menendez (Maikel Chang 62’), Albert Rusnak, Justin Meram (Nick Besler 73’); Bobby Wood (Rubio Rubin 73’)
Subs not used: Andrew Putna, Noah Powder, Erik Holt, Anderson Julio
Austin FC (4-2-3-1): Brad Stuver; Zan Kolmanic (Nick Lima 46’), Julio Cascante, Matt Besler, Hector Jimenez (Aedan Stanley 83’); Alex Ring, Dani Pereira (Jhohan Romana 52’); Diego Fagundez Tomas Pochettino, Sebastian Driussi (Jon Gallagher 73’); Cecilio Dominguez (Rodney Redes 83’)
Subs not used: Andrew Tarbell, Freddy Kleeman, Jared Stroud, Sebastian Berhalter,
Stats Summary: RSL / ATX
Shots: 15 / 10
Shots on Goal: 8 / 1
Saves: 1 / 7
Corner Kicks: 6 / 4
Offside: 0 / 0
Fouls: 10 / 5
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:ATX: Alex Ring (caution) 44’
ATX: Julio Casacante (ejection) 49’
RSL: Ashtone Morgan (caution) 68’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Dave Gantar
Assistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Corey Rockwell
4th Official: Alyssa Nichols
VAR: Victor Rivas
AVAR: Chantal Boudreau
